Among other things…

Despite the usual lethargy that accompanies the end of a workday for Uncle Sam, True Tears not only bludgeoned me with the great stick of awe but managed to dispel the weariness in my being. I had planned to get some much needed rest but I simply felt so restless that I had to write this post. This will be in all likelihood the high water mark for the series as now Nobuse has been forced with make a tactical withdrawl and the truth behind Shin-chan and Hiromi’s estrangement has been laid bare. Should PA Works conclude this with flair of elegance and panache, then this will have been their finest hour. Breaking out the big secret means there is no turning back; this bold and risky maneuver is a “do or die” for PA Works and the series. Comrades in arms the die has been cast…

… … …

My thoughts exactly.

While there are those who would lynch Ai-chan as a female Takayuki (I spit upon his memory) the concurrent flashback between Aiko and Nobuse was a lesson in confusion perhaps one was romanticizing, perhaps they both were. Nevertheless it is clear that Shin-chan was the third wheel, for Nobuse to be the one to confess before a third party took courage seldom found in lesser men and women. Had Aiko rejected him he would never live it down. Aiko’s initial acceptance of Nobuse on the grounds that he is a nice guy was for the most part true. If she hated the guy or even began to resent him she would have not even touched the snacks he brought regardless of whether or not they were her favorite. Aiko’s realization that she was an idiot does cut in many ways. She was an idiot for not confessing to Shin-chan, she was an idiot for letting her relationship with Nobuse drag out for as long as it did, and she is an idiot for not accepting a man who loved her more deeply than she could possibly fathom. Nobuse is willing to do nice things for her habitually without complaint; he even kept his suspicions in check giving her the benefit of the doubt, clinging to his illusion that it was really nothing until the bitter end.

That you have been handed an unjust fate, at least you still have honor and duty…

That isn’t the only roach Noe…

Nobuse does all the things Aiko wishes Shin-chan would do, namely lavish attention upon her and give her more than a simple acknowledgement. Nobuse’s only fault was that he was not Shin-chan. Whatever caused Aiko to snub Nobuse for Shin-chan must really have been something, guys like Nobuse are decidedly rare for few men would have been able to control themselves if they even suspected any infidelity of their significant other. We can fault him for trying to gift Aiko a new sweater, but we should commend him for not flying into a rage. When Aiko spoke the truth you could see the fear, shock, and incredulity in his eyes as his heart was shattered in no uncertain terms. Whatever Nobuse decides to do now I hope that he does conduct himself with honor and humility, the best thing he can do now is conceal his misgivings and do the utmost to spare Aiko the guilt. All is fair in love and war, but not all is right. Don’t give in to hate and despair Nobuse, never forget that you have a duty to see that Aiko makes it out of this alive and reasonably well. In any case Hiromi was right busybody Shin-chan is a fool.

Oh please pick me. Pick me!

Clearly he doesn’t love you as much as the rest of us…

Noe was delightful as always and rapidly brought a bit of whimsical air to stifle the despair of Shin-chan. It was so cute to see her feed her glorious new Raigomaru replacement. She even made off with his belt and sent the busybody Shin-chan packing while desperately trying to hold up his pants. Noe giving her dear nii-san his final check off before taking off for his dayto was so sweet I need dentures. Clearly Noe looks up to her nii-san and acknowledges his aura of cool. Even if Jun teases her effortlessly, Noe still can deliver a cutting remark of her own, such as her grand presentation of the belt of Shin-chan. Still Noe is most convinced that a cute girl is the only fitting partner for Jun, I do believe that Jun does agree, though Noe does not imagine that he would have a cute one from kin so near.

… … …

I am starting to get jealous now, well not Stripey Jealous…

The first meeting of Jun and Hiromi reflected how similar they were, only that Jun was in many ways wiser than Hiromi when it came to kin so near. Isurugi nii does favor bold and plain actions as evidenced by his confident stride right into the midst of Hiromi’s practice to request a parley. Jun is indeed cold, but I think it is more of mark on his success in sealing away his feelings. Jun only shows a fraction of the emotional leakage Hiromi shows, but in doing so he has sealed off his own emotions in the process. Hiromi probably picked up on how his feelings for Noe mirrored her own for Shin-chan. It will be interesting to see how these two will get along given their similarities and Hiromi being under his tutelage so to speak. Given time I think that both can and will come to a tacit understanding of the other, who knows maybe they will both realize how compatible they are. Their first dayto was not a disaster since Hiromi’s curiosity has peaked in Jun, and if anything his eloquence and intelligence is a shared trait that he and Noe share. I suspect that his teasing of Hiromi and stroking her hair was not merely an act, perhaps like Noe, Hiromi is going to be teased in much the same manner. Jun does not strike me as the kind of guy who dallied with just anyone. His eyes during his intimate moment with Hiromi were in many ways similar to that when he put one Noe’s helmet. Only this time the light was directed in the opposite direction, probably indicating that with Hiromi he felt sad but for another set of reasons for the viewer to interpret. Hiromi was duly shocked and while Jun was making some rather bold moves, she did not betray any rage at all.

Well they do look kinda cute together…

Curious and thoughtful Hiromi is fine too.

I suspect that Jun will come to like Hiromi because he sees in her much of the doubt and pain he once felt. His statements regarding not being able to love the one he loved might prove prophetic as he cannot express his love for Noe nor does he actually feel something deeper for Hiromi who might try and find a refuge in his arms given the events that transpired. Jun feels pity for Hiromi to an extent and has fully grasped the situation, and while it is unfair to Hiromi his goal is to hand off his guardian ship of Noe as he can no longer serve that purpose in an acceptable manner. It is interesting to note that Nobuse followed his heart, Jun followed his head, and Shin-chan remains confused and befuddled. Hiromi for one cannot forget her near kissu with Jun, things as they stand are definitely up in the air now.

… … …

O_o

O_O

Hiromi’s confrontation with Shin-chan over his meddling seems to indicate more cracks within their relationship. Since Hiromi was aware of the possibility of them being half siblings it underscores why she took such great pains to limit their relationship and back pedal on the progress they had made. It took Shin-chan long enough to confront his mother over the issue of her mistreatment of Hiromi, but in the end it was Hiromi who broke the news to the clueless Shin-chan. Without words her body language conveyed in nothing short of resentment for Shin’s plots and scheming. Sure there is hope since she never really came to blows with Jun, but her old relationship with Shin-chan is now in tatters and wrecked possibly beyond repair. Hiromi acted decisively if un-wisely and drew a line between her and her beloved that neither could easily cross. Now if Shin-chan had any illusions to the contrary he will hesitate to insist upon his love for Hiromi, unless he simply opts to accept it and rush head long into the company of the glorious Noe. Speaking of Noe her creative use of Shin-chan’s belt and subsequent jig almost fully dispelled the pangs of sympathy from my heart of ice, but not completely.

I cannot describe how much I disapprove of this fighting over Shin-chan, however if you must I want a clean fight. I do mean CLEAN…

Expect the unexpected… down Stripey down.

In a single episode PA Works has set Aiko, Noe, and Hiromi onto the warpath. It is a testament that everyone was developed without it being seemed rushed. Hiromi’s conduct now seems to be less random and more thought out as to why she really tried to seal her feelings away. As to Nobuse’s unhappy fate we can only imagine his situation, but it is undoubtedly grim. Within the course of one dayto Jun has established himself as one of the more methodical sis-cons who has tried and largely succeeded in hiding his affection. Whatever happens, it all falls upon Shin-chan to make reconcile his own feelings for Aiko, Noe, and Hiromi by the last episode with no vagaries to befuddle the audience. While the clash is inevitable, I hope that all three otome fight with honor. Unlike my esteemed peers I am not going to try and place any bets on the veracity of the Nakagami Wife’s claims that Shin and Hiromi are half siblings. However I do think that we can all agree that playing the sister card this early was indeed a gutsy move on the part of PA Works and I, for one, have come to expect the unexpected. Remember PA Works failure is not an option.

Next Time: Jun and Noe have some family time, Hiromi and Noe fight in single combat upon the field of the first bento, Jun finds out about Aiko, and Shin-chan wallows in defeat over Hiromi.

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